How can people rationally deny man-made global climate change?

Over a year ago

by Matt Hanley

Numerous scientists acknowledge that man-made climate change is happening. Sure, there are some scientists that are skeptical—but that is fine. Scientists are supposed to question other scientific theories. However, I don’t understand how a person can rationally believe that man-made global climate change is a flat out lie—having doubts is fine. To speak analogically, if 75 doctors told me that I was going to die if I didn’t have heart surgery and 25 doctors told me that surgery was pointless and a waste of money, I think I would have the surgery. Accordingly, I don’t understand people you reject the need for any degree of restorative or preventative measures. It seems natural to me to want to act preemptively to ward off any potential threat. Americans support preemptive action with regard to wars and military conflicts, but often those same people laugh at any need to take preemptive measures against man-made global climate change. Such a stance seems illogical to me.

I have concluded that people who flatly reject man-made global climate change almost always fit into two categories: (1) those who want to continue their current lifestyle without change and without guilt (e.g. people who want to guiltlessly commute in their Hummer) and (2) people you stand to lose money (e.g. oil companies).